Author: PB Webadmin

Cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabinoid found in cannabis plants, is becoming more and more popular as an alternative solution to common ailments. Unlike Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another cannabinoid found in cannabis plants, CBD does not have psychoactive effects (CBD vs THC). When CBD oil is ingested, however, only 20% of it is absorbed. This means that for CBD oil to be effective, the CBD extraction process must be carried out carefully.

There are several options for removing cannabis plant extracts from the plant materials; to be effective, however, each approach must begin with a CBD-rich plant material. Let’s take a quick look at some of the most common CBD extraction methods and the pros and cons of each:

Extraction Methods

CO2 Extraction

The CO2 Extraction method uses supercritical carbon dioxide to pull phytochemicals from cannabis plants. Supercritical materials are not quite a liquid but not quite a gas and possess the properties of both. This state is ideal for plant extraction because supercriticalCO2 can move through materials like gas and dissolve materials like a liquid.

CO2 extraction typically follows these steps:

The CO2 is prepared in a compression chamber. First, CO2 gas is turned into a liquid; this is done by dropping the temperature to under -69°F and increasing the pressure to over 75 psi. Next, the the temperature and pressure are both raised until the liquid becomes supercritical.

The supercritical CO2 passes through cannabis trimmings in an extraction chamber where it dissolves and collects extracts from the plants.

The CO2 / extract solution then enters a lower-pressure separator chamber. The lower pressure causes the CO2 and plant extracts to separate. The CO2 returns to the CO2 chamber and the cannabis oil is drained from the separator.

CO2 Extraction Pros:

Safe when done by professionals- CO2 is used in countless food products and is perfectly safe for consumption

Yields high-quality CBD- machines leave very little room for error

CO2 Extraction Cons:

Very expensive- setup costs start at approximately $40,000

Not for novice chemists- it’s best to leave this method to the professionals

Solvent Extraction

This simple extraction method works by using ethanol as a solvent to remove extracts from cannabis plant trimmings. It usually looks something like this:

Ethanol is added to trimmings and mixed for a couple of minutes to allow the ethanol to dissolve extracts from the plant materials.

The ethanol is strained from the trimmings.

The ethanol/extract mixture is slowly heated until all ethanol evaporates and only the plant extracts remain.

Solvent Extraction Pros:

Inexpensive- This method doesn’t require any fancy machinery.

Simple- This method is pretty straightforward and can even be done at home.

Solvent Extraction Cons:

Dangerous- Ethanol is extremely flammable.

Could Damage CBD- Ethanol could potentially denature the CBD if overheated or overmixed.

Dry Ice/ Ice Water Method

Ice water extraction creates a powdery resin extract often referred to as “hash” or “bubble hash.” There are several variations to this method, but they all follow these general steps:

Finely-chopped plant trimmings are mixed with either ice or dry ice. This step is supposed to help separate extracts from the plant material.

Water is added to the ice and trimmings and the entire mixture is strained through a mesh bag. (Often, the mixture is strained multiple times through progressively smaller-micron mesh bags until the purest-possible extracts are obtained)

The extracts settle at the bottom of the strained mixture. The excess water is drained from the top and the extracts are left to dry until they become powdery.

Ice Water Extraction Pros:

Inexpensive- Again, no fancy machinery needed!

High Yield- If done correctly, this method produces a relatively large amount of plant extract.

Ice Water Extraction Cons:

Not always practical- This method can be labor intensive and time consuming.

Olive Oil Extraction

This technique results in cannabis-infused oil, not pure cannabis extract. It follows these two simple steps:

Cannabis plant trimmings are placed in olive oil (or any other cooking oil) and warmed for 1-2 hours.

The infused oil is strained from the plant trimmings.

Olive Oil Extraction Pros:

Easy- This is by far the easiest extraction method and is a popular home option.

Olive Oil Extraction Cons:

Low Yields- This method produces low yields of heavily diluted CBD.

Temperature Control During Extraction

Regardless of the method used, careful temperature is control is an important element of high-quality yield in CBD extraction. Extreme temperatures damage CBD. Additionally, many processes need specific temperatures to have success; if ideal temperatures are not maintained, the extraction process could completely flop.

Powerblanket offers the best of the best when it comes to total temperature control. Our products are easy to install and remove and won’t disrupt your current process. Additionally, our products are made to order and can be customized to fit your specific needs. If you’d like more information, you can give us a call at 888.316.6324.

Do you have a favorite CBD extraction method we forgot to mention? Let us know in the comments!

Need Custom Heating for Your Equipment? Answer These Questions

Do you need custom heating for a specific and unique application? Although there are various standardized heating solutions available, to determine the right solution, either standard or custom, a few initial questions need to be understood. The first of the discovery questions is to identify the desired result of the application which is generally one or a combination of the following:

Freeze Protection: Generally to protect from the elements or cold climate

What is the beginning temperature of the substance or contents (include units, °F, °C)?

What is the desired final temperature of the substance or contents (include units, °F, °C)?

What temperature range is acceptable?

Are there upper or lower temperatures where the substance or contents will be damaged?

Is there a time frame requirement for the initial cool down?

What power source is preferred (120, 208, 240, DC)?

How far away is the power source (cord length)?

Do you require UL/CSA certified products?

Is your location considered hazardous (Class I Division 2)?

How many units do you need now and in the future?

What is the required delivery date?

Custom Heating Case Study

Powerblanket completed a project for a large chemical company to solve freeze protection problems. The company stores a chemical solution in large 4,000 to 8,000 gallon stainless steel tanks. Their customers live in various climates throughout North America. This solution is water based and freezes at roughly 32°F. This company needed freeze protection and to maintain regular temperatures between 40°F -70°F.

The question became, “How do we provide a ‘one size fit all’ customized solution for various climates?” Powerblanket created a modular custom design, adjustable by region and tank size, that came in two pieces.

Powerblanket engineers calculated the amount of heat and insulation required to combat freezing temperatures and wind chill to maintain optimal temperatures in these various climates. What appeared to be a complicated application turned into a simple and effective custom solution.

So many industries need heating solutions, and not just during the cold months either. Epoxy curing, chemical storage, viscosity maintenance, food preparations, concrete curing, and much more all benefit from innovative temperature regulation year round.

Custom Heating vs. Ready to Ship Products

Powerblanket manufactures an extensive line of ready-to-ship products designed and engineered for a myriad of purposes. For example, if you store temperature-sensitive materials in drums, barrels, or totes, then our ready-to-ship barrel and drum heaters or tote heaters will accommodate your heating needs perfectly. If you store DEF, then take a look at our DEF heaters. If you have palletized product you need to keep warm, check out our Hot Box.

Along with all these great product offerings, however, one of Powerblanket’s greatest contributions to the industries we serve is custom process heating solution for any project under the sun.

Often “custom” connotes extended lead times and a lot of money. With some manufacturers, that may be true, but Powerblanket’s customization process is fluid and effective. We turn around a custom product in a reasonable window. Expect to be wowed.

Whether you need a heating solution for a large or oddly shaped propane tank, truck-mounted water cylinders, valves, manifolds, instrumentation, large scale epoxy curing, or any other specific application, Powerblanket is ready to help.

Custom Heating Solutions from Powerblanket

A reasonable window for completion

The ability to answer varying levels of customization

Certification to universal safety standards

Easy installation and use

Powerblanket engineers solve every kind of temperature problem from simple to very complex. Our expertise guarantees satisfied customers in a very short turnaround time. Need custom heating for these vessels?

Drums / Barrels / Pails

Totes to include Diesel Exhaust Fluid Totes

Gas Cylinders to include Propane and Specialty Gases

Specialty Tanks to include Frac Tanks

Water Transfer Trucks

Water Storage Tanks

Hydraulic Fluid Tanks

Vac Trucks

Industries Powerblanket Serves

With Powerblanket, equipment lasts longer, projects stay on track, and fluids flow smoothly. Use Powerblanket technology year round to achieve total temperature control. Some of the various industries we serve include:

Whether it’s for repair or initial construction, curing epoxy resin on wind turbine blades can be a tricky endeavor. However, with the right technology, this arduous process can be a whole lot easier.

Wind Turbines: A Large Scale Application

The typical wind turbine blade ranges in length from 116 ft. to as much as 148 ft. That accounts for a big hunk of glass-fiber or carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. Either way you look at it, the curing process involved with such a beast is certain to take a lot of space. That’s why wind turbines are often created in pieces and then secured by joints.

Very strong, high-temperature epoxies are used for this process, but as anyone who’s worked with epoxy knows, the proper curing takes some extra heat. Can you imagine building a hot box around the joint of a turbine blade? Better yet, can you imagine having to stick that huge thing in an oven? The idea sounds ludicrous, and it is when you consider that there is a much better way of approaching the problem.

Instead of being left to the need of a hot box or an oven to properly heat cure epoxy resin on wind turbines, you could apply localized heat to the area that needs to be cured. That’s right, localized heat in the form of a revolutionary heat blanket that evenly distributes heat over the entire surface area of application. In addition to the amazing ability this blanket has of transferring heat, it also has the capability to regulate it.

By using thermostatic controllers, you can use such a blanket to cure epoxy at the ideal temperature. It’s simply a matter of setting the temperature range to the proper level for your application and then waiting for it to work its magic. With customization possibilities, this blanket is available in as many sizes as necessary, so you can cure even the largest cure joint. Shoot, you could even cure the whole blade if you want.

Whether it’s for repair or initial construction, curing epoxy resin on wind turbine blades can be a tricky endeavor. However, with the right technology, this arduous process can be a whole lot easier.

Wind Turbines: A Large Scale Application

The typical wind turbine blade ranges in length from 116 ft. to as much as 148 ft. That accounts for a big hunk of glass-fiber or carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. Either way you look at it, the curing process involved with such a beast is certain to take a lot of space. That’s why wind turbines are often created in pieces and then secured by joints.

Very strong, high-temperature epoxies are used for this process, but as anyone who’s worked with epoxy knows, the proper curing takes some extra heat. Can you imagine building a hot box around the joint of a turbine blade? Better yet, can you imagine having to stick that huge thing in an oven? The idea sounds ludicrous, and it is when you consider that there is a much better way of approaching the problem.

Instead of being left to the need of a hot box or an oven to properly heat cure epoxy resin on wind turbines, you could apply localized heat to the area that needs to be cured. That’s right, localized heat in the form of a revolutionary heat blanket that evenly distributes heat over the entire surface area of application. In addition to the amazing ability this blanket has of transferring heat, it also has the capability to regulate it.

By using thermostatic controllers, you can use such a blanket to cure epoxy at the ideal temperature. It’s simply a matter of setting the temperature range to the proper level for your application and then waiting for it to work its magic. With customization possibilities, this blanket is available in as many sizes as necessary, so you can cure even the largest cure joint. Shoot, you could even cure the whole blade if you want.

Whether it’s for repair or initial construction, curing epoxy resin on wind turbine blades can be a tricky endeavor. However, with the right technology, this arduous process can be a whole lot easier.

Wind Turbines: A Large Scale Application

The typical wind turbine blade ranges in length from 116 ft. to as much as 148 ft. That accounts for a big hunk of glass-fiber or carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. Either way you look at it, the curing process involved with such a beast is certain to take a lot of space. That’s why wind turbines are often created in pieces and then secured by joints.

Very strong, high-temperature epoxies are used for this process, but as anyone who’s worked with epoxy knows, the proper curing takes some extra heat. Can you imagine building a hot box around the joint of a turbine blade? Better yet, can you imagine having to stick that huge thing in an oven? The idea sounds ludicrous, and it is when you consider that there is a much better way of approaching the problem.

Instead of being left to the need of a hot box or an oven to properly heat cure epoxy resin on wind turbines, you could apply localized heat to the area that needs to be cured. That’s right, localized heat in the form of a revolutionary heat blanket that evenly distributes heat over the entire surface area of application. In addition to the amazing ability this blanket has of transferring heat, it also has the capability to regulate it.

By using thermostatic controllers, you can use such a blanket to cure epoxy at the ideal temperature. It’s simply a matter of setting the temperature range to the proper level for your application and then waiting for it to work its magic. With customization possibilities, this blanket is available in as many sizes as necessary, so you can cure even the largest cure joint. Shoot, you could even cure the whole blade if you want.

Whether it’s for repair or initial construction, curing epoxy resin on wind turbine blades can be a tricky endeavor. However, with the right technology, this arduous process can be a whole lot easier.

Wind Turbines: A Large Scale Application

The typical wind turbine blade ranges in length from 116 ft. to as much as 148 ft. That accounts for a big hunk of glass-fiber or carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. Either way you look at it, the curing process involved with such a beast is certain to take a lot of space. That’s why wind turbines are often created in pieces and then secured by joints.

Very strong, high-temperature epoxies are used for this process, but as anyone who’s worked with epoxy knows, the proper curing takes some extra heat. Can you imagine building a hot box around the joint of a turbine blade? Better yet, can you imagine having to stick that huge thing in an oven? The idea sounds ludicrous, and it is when you consider that there is a much better way of approaching the problem.

Instead of being left to the need of a hot box or an oven to properly heat cure epoxy resin on wind turbines, you could apply localized heat to the area that needs to be cured. That’s right, localized heat in the form of a revolutionary heat blanket that evenly distributes heat over the entire surface area of application. In addition to the amazing ability this blanket has of transferring heat, it also has the capability to regulate it.

By using thermostatic controllers, you can use such a blanket to cure epoxy at the ideal temperature. It’s simply a matter of setting the temperature range to the proper level for your application and then waiting for it to work its magic. With customization possibilities, this blanket is available in as many sizes as necessary, so you can cure even the largest cure joint. Shoot, you could even cure the whole blade if you want.